McIlroy didn't do much on Thursday at the British Open besides tie the lowest career round in a major championship and become the first player ever in this Open to post a 63 in the first round. Ishikawa was off early at St. Andrews and got around in 68 shots.

Fowler? Fowler wasn't as lucky. Playing in his first Open Championship, the 21-year-old American shot a 7-over 79 when most of the field was seeing red by the bunches.

How did the round get so out of hand? Fowler, who went out in 37 shots, not a terrible start in your first British, was even par on his back nine heading to the par-4 15th. That was when young Rickie's wheels started to fly off.

A bogey on 15, followed by a triple-bogey on 16 and a double-bogey on 17 has Fowler in a scary position of being in last place after the first day. A score like that means that unless he can do some sort of McIlroy impression on Friday (and even that might not be enough), he will be done for the weekend in his first attempt at the only major on foreign soil.

There will be more to come, but this 79 will be one that will always pop up in his head when he returns to the famed links. The only good news? It normally takes people a few rounds to totally get comfortable on the Old Course.